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Malacañang said it is checking reports on a new bid to topple the
government of President Gloria Arroyo but is leaving the matter to
the national police.
The national police on Thursday confirmed the
fresh attempt to overthrow the government as five of the suspects
faced inquest proceedings on several charges including plans to
stage a coup.
“The case obviously involves national-security
issues, hence, we are constantly monitoring the developments,”
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said in a statement.
“The trajectory of the legal action will be
determined by the quantum of evidence available. Meanwhile, we urge
sobriety and respect for due process, so that this matter will be
resolved justly, peacefully and expeditiously,” he added.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro put at
“zero” the chances of a coup succeeding at this time. He
described the alleged plotters as a low-level threat.
When asked if the new plot could be connected
with the coming State-of-the-Nation-Address of the President,
Teodoro said it is possible because the police could have
anticipated the plot.
The Defense chief added that it is also possible
that Homobono Adaza’s group might have some connection with other
anti-government groups.
Police manhunt
Director General Avelino Razon Jr., the chief of
the national police, said they are chasing after other plotters.
Lawyer and former lawmaker Adaza and four military and police
officers—Army Lt. Col. Oscarlito Mapalo, retired Colonels Ernie
Amboy and Cesar dela Peña and police Supt. Rafael Cardeno—all
allegedly the brains behind the plot had been arrested. Razon said
they are looking into possible involvement of other members of the
military.
Retired Col. Edgardo Tapia and several John Does
and Jane Does who remain at large are also facing similar charges.
Adaza is the lawyer for Marine Col. Ariel
Querubin, one of the 28 military officers facing military
court-martial for their involvement in the alleged February 2006
coup attempt. Mapalo and Amboy were also implicated in the 2004
destabilization plot.
Coup fundraiser
Adaza was reportedly soliciting $4 million from
a Japanese businessman through Adaza’s OMT Security Services Inc.
“in order to finance a coup d’etat.” The plot was supposed to
be organized by Adaza’s “friends in the military,” according
to reports.
“They said the Japanese [businessman] has to
come up with [the $4 million], otherwise they will kill two
Filipinos and pin the blame on my client,” said Raymond Fortun,
lawyer for the unnamed businessman. Fortun was a former lawyer for
former President Joseph Estrada.
Adaza denied the charge, calling his accuser
“a pathological liar.”
During a television interview, he also
threatened to sue the businessman over the allegations and his
subsequent arrest.
More on Adaza
Adaza was a prominent opposition figure in the
1980s in the legislature and later served as an Immigration
commissioner in the administration of former President Fidel Ramos.
In recent years, he was connected with
opposition groups against President Arroyo, who has successfully
quashed two mutinies by military factions and three impeachment
attempts since coming to power in 2001.
Adaza is also facing charges of obstruction of
justice for allegedly harboring a fugitive, Cardeño, who was wanted
for the murder of Young Officers Union spokesman Baron Cervantes in
2001.
Cardeño is charged with using fictitious names
to conceal his identity. He is said to have used “Randy Linares”
as one of his aliases.
Adaza said he is incapable of staging a coup. He
added the officers arrested with him were either retired or on AWOL
(absent without leave).
Special Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco, who
presided over the inquest proceedings, said prosecutors would still
look into the merits of all the complaints filed against Adaza and
his companions.
During the inquest, Adaza demanded that their
handcuffs be removed since there were several police officers around
the area.
Velasco, however, declined the request, saying
he would leave security arrangements to the national police.
After the inquest proceedings, Cardeño was
transferred to the Las Piñas Regional Trial Court Branch 275. Judge
Bonifacio Maceda served an arrest warrant against him.
Dela Peña was ordered to show up at the
Sandiganbayan for hearing of a case filed against him.
All of them, except for Adaza, would stay at
their designated detention center in the headquarters of the
national police.
“In consideration of his age,” Adaza would
stay at a hospital after complaining of experiencing high blood
pressure the night of his arrest Wednesday.
-- Angelo S. Samonte, Maricel V. Cruz, Jefferson Antiporda, James
Konstantin Galvez, Sammy Martin and Francis Earl A. Cueto
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